Absentee Ballot Process

There is no specific deadline for absentee ballot applications to be received. However, no absentee ballots will be issued on the day before, or the day of the election.

You do not need to provide a reason to request an absentee ballot by mail. You may request an absentee ballot as early as 180 days before an election. Absentee ballots must be received by the county board of registrars by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. No absentee ballots are issued on the day before or the day of an election. You may fill out an absentee ballot request here. The application must be in writing and contain the address to which the ballot is to be mailed, sufficient information to identify you as a voter, and the election in which you wish to vote. If you are physically disabled or living temporarily outside your county of residence, a close relative may apply for an absentee ballot for you. You may vote by absentee ballot in person at the registrars' office, Monday through Friday, the week prior to the election without having to provide a reason.

A physically disabled or illiterate voter may receive assistance from another voter in the same county or municipality or from the same category of relatives who can make an application for or deliver an absentee ballot. If the voter is outside of the county or municipality, then a notary public can provide such assistance. Any person who assists another person to vote absentee must complete an oath prescribed by law demonstrating the statutory disability and that the ballot was completed as the voter desired. Other than federal elections, no person may assist more than ten voters in a primary, election, or runoff. A candidate on the ballot, or a relative of a candidate on the ballot, may not offer assistance during the election to any voter who is not related to the candidate.

Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Campaign Finance Information

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For information on federal campaign contributions, please visit Open Secrets.

Early Voting

As Election Day approaches, your county may have multiple early voting sites and even extended hours. Voting times and locations for your precinct can be found here.

Any voter registered in Georgia may vote absentee in person. This allows you to vote on a day and time that is convenient for you.

Please note that you cannot vote on the day immediately preceding the Tuesday election. Traditional polling places will be open on Election Day. However, if you choose to advance vote you cannot cast another ballot at your precinct on Election Day.

A current utility bill, or a legible copy thereof, showing your name and address

A bank statement, or a legible copy thereof, showing your name and address

A government check or paycheck, or a legible copy thereof, showing your name and address

A government document, or a legible copy thereof, showing your name and address

You can register by mailing a copy of your identification with your voter registration application; providing a copy of your identification to the registrar during the absentee voting process; or by showing one of the pieces of acceptable identification when voting at your polling place.

ID Needed for Voting?

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When you arrive at your polling place, you will be required to present one of the following forms of identification:

A Georgia driver's license, even if it is expired

A photo ID issued by a state or federal government agency

A valid U.S. passport

An employee ID card containing your photograph and issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of Georgia

A valid U.S. military ID card

A valid tribal ID card.

If you do not have one of the above forms of ID, the State of Georgia offers a free Voter Identification Card.

If you are unable to show identification at the time of voting you may cast a provisional ballot which will be counted only if you present identification within the two day period following the election. For more information on the acceptable forms of photo ID and the free Voter Identification Card, please visit your state's resource.

Overseas and Military Voters

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You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.

If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.

Polling Place Hours

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Polls are open from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm on Election Day. Any voter who is waiting in line to vote at 7:00 pm will be allowed to vote. Peak voting hours are historically from 7:00 am until 9:30 am, 4:30 pm until 7:00 pm, and during the mid-day lunch hour.

Polling Place Locator

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You can find your polling place by utilizing your state resource. If you have further questions on your polling place location, please contact your county clerk.

Provisional Voting

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UPDATE: The Secretary of State has established a hotline voters can call to check on the status of their provisional ballot. If you voted provisionally in the 2018 General Election, please call this toll free number: 1-844-537-5375. For more information about this hotline please click here.

Voters have 3 days after the election to verify registration with the County Registrar.

Provisional voting allows you to cast a ballot in person even if the requirements for doing so cannot be met at the time. The provisional ballot will county if the problem is solved within three days after Election Day. The three reasons for voting a provisional ballot are:

You are unable to show the required forms of photo ID when you vote in person

When you first registered to vote in Georgia you registered by mail, did not provide any identification at the time and are unable to present acceptable identification the first time you vote in person

Your name does not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct

If you vote a provisional ballot because you did not have acceptable identification, you will have three days from the close of the polls to present acceptable identification to your county registrar office for your vote to count.

Provisions for Voters with Disabilities

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You may receive assistance at the polls if you are unable to read the English language or if you have a physical disability that renders you unable to see or mark the ballot, operate the voting equipment, or enter the voting booth. In order to receive assistance, everyone, except those that are blind, must take an oath stating the reason they need assistance.

The person providing assistance to you must sign on the oath. When there is a federal candidate on the ballot, you can select anyone you want to assist you in voting, except for your employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of your union. When there is no federal candidate on the ballot, you can select any other resident of the precinct or a parent, sibling, spouse or child (provided they are not a candidate on the ballot or a relative of a candidate on the ballot) to assist you inside the voting booth. No person may assist more than ten voters in a primary, election, or runoff.

Note: Between the hours of 9:30 am and 4:30 pm on the day of an election, voters who are 75 years of age or older or who are physically disabled may, upon request to a poll officer, vote immediately without waiting in line.

If you are physically disabled or illiterate, you may receive assistance from another voter in the same county or municipality or from the same category of relatives who can make an application for or deliver an absentee ballot. If you are outside of the county or municipality, then a notary public can provide such assistance. Any person who assists another person to vote absentee must complete an oath prescribed by law demonstrating the statutory disability and that the ballot was completed as the voter desired.

Registration Deadline

The voter registration deadline is 30 days prior to the election. Mail in registration must be postmarked by this deadline to be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.

You can now register to vote online! You must have a valid driver's license or ID card with a signature on file with DDS in order to complete the registration online. If you don't have either of these forms of ID you can complete the paper registration.

If you move within the same county in which you are registered to vote and do not notify the registrar at least 30 days prior to an election, you may vote in your old polling place for that election. You must file a notice of your new address. This can be done by writing your county board of registrars, or by submitting a new voter registration application. If you move outside the county in which you are registered to vote in excess of 30 days prior to an election, you have lost your eligibility to vote in the county of your old residence. You must reregister to vote in your new county of residence. If you do not reregister to vote by the deadline, you cannot vote in that particular election.

Time Off To Vote

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Employers must grant employees two hours of paid leave to vote, unless polls are open 2 hours before or after regular working shift. This time may be paid depending on location.

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Voting Machines

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The voting system used in Georgia is DRE.

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE): This is the newest kind of system in use in the U.S. All the information about who and what you are voting for is on an electronic screen like a TV or computer screen.

There are many variations of DREs because lots of companies are inventing new ones, and many cities, counties and states are trying them out. Usually, after you have signed in, the poll workers will give you a card that you slide into a device to start your voting session.

Some of these devices will show all of the candidates and ballot choices on one big screen. Often, with these big screen devices you push a button next to the name of the candidate you want to vote for (or yes or no on a ballot measure). On other DREs, the screen is set up to show pages. On each screen or page, there will probably be one thing to vote on. For example, on one screen or page, you might vote for president. Then you might move to the next page to vote for senator. Often these small-screen devices have a touch screen, where you touch the screen next to the name of the person you want to vote for. Other devices have a key pad. Some have a keyboard, so you can write in the name of someone you want to vote for.

You let the system know you are finished voting by pushing a button, touching the screen or entering something on a keypad.

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